OTTAWA — The federal ethics watchdog has launched a third investigation into the dealings of embattled Industry Minister Christian Paradis.

About one month after concluding Paradis was in a conflict of interest because, as public works minister, he had arranged for former Tory MP Rahim Jaffer to meet with government officials and lobby them about a business proposal in 2009, Mary Dawson confirmed she was launching a new investigation into Paradis’ dealings with lawyer and former NHL team-owner Marcel Aubut.

Dawson, the conflict of interest and ethics commissioner, is also investigating the minister’s “possible involvement” in the relocation of an Employment Insurance claims processing centre to his riding.

She is not allowed to comment about ongoing investigations under the Conflict of Interest Act, but acknowledged last month that she could not remember having to examine so many cases involving a single minister since she was appointed in 2007.

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Paradis has defended a 2009 hunting trip with Aubut, the former owner of the Quebec Nordiques, explaining that he paid all of his own expenses and was not lobbied by the lawyer, who at the time was seeking public funding for a $400-million NHL-calibre arena.

“I have done several hunting trips in my life,” Paradis said in the House of Commons in March in response to a barrage of questions from the opposition. “I covered my own costs. I took my own car. I got there by myself with my own equipment. . . . Never did Mr. Aubut attempt to lobby me before or during this trip.”

Paradis was not available for interviews on Tuesday, but indicated that he did nothing wrong.

“The commissioner has informed me that she is studying the situation,” Paradis said in a statement. “I respected the law and look forward to providing her with all the facts.”

Opposition critics said they were pleased Dawson has launched a new investigation.

“At its face, we know Minister Paradis exercised poor judgment and his actions must be scrutinized to see whether or not he is once again in violation of the Conflict of Interest Act,” said Liberal ethics and conflict-of-interest critic Scott Andrews.